New Life

Let me start by saying I love, love, love, Love, LOVE this theme!

Every once in a while a swap is posted that really gets my imagination flowing, and I cannot wait to jump in. Even then, though, the card I create seldom translates from brain to paper the way I envision. But this time, this theme, this sketch, this card, embodies that rare moment when it all comes together perfectly.

Maryann is our hostess this time around in the 'Hood. And by this time around, I mean for March/April (I have gotten rather ahead of myself in the card-making department). Here is what she wrote: "March and April remind me that spring is coming. Along with spring comes new life: of grass, the gardens, flowers, the baby deer, all the new baby chicks, and all the creatures of this earth. Let's make a card for a new life. It could be a baby card, flowers in bloom, etc. Let your imagination run wild. Have fun!"
Immediately I knew what stamp set to use, and as soon as I saw Tuesday Morning Sketches (#286), it all came together in my mind. All that was left was to get it out onto (into?) paper.

Card Details:

Image: SU

Sentiment: N/A

Cardstock: GP, SU

Ink: Memento
Coloring: N/A

Tools: SU punch(es), MFT die (grass)

Embellies: Unknown ribbon

Whipper Snapper in Color

Once again, Barb is hosting her Whipper Snapper (or Penny Black, but I did not join that one) swap. This time around, we are to use our favorite color combo for crafting. For me, that depends on my mood, the stamp, or what catches my eye at any given moment. My newest WS stamp (that I have not already used in a previous swap with Barb) is a flamingo, so on the day I created this card, my favorite color combo was pink, more pink, and a little pink for variety's sake.

Card Details:

Image: Whipper Snapper

Sentiment: N/A

Cardstock: GP, SU

Ink: Memento
Coloring: Copics

Tools: Nestabilities

Embellies: Generic ribbon

Let's Get Naught-y!

I have to admit, it was not until I was checking the exact title of the Sisterhood's March/April theme, that I realized the Jan./Feb. theme had one, too! I only saw the nautical part of the theme, not the naught-y part in the title. Mine clearly does not have that last twist, as I made a Sympathy card. Oops Fortunately, this month's hostess, Kelly, was happy with what I made.

I did not realize the challenge blog where I got this sketch was defunct until after I had made my card. I have since deleted it from my bookmarks, so I cannot even give them credit. My apologies; I never really expected I would get around to blogging it. (2/20/14 Edited to add: Hold the presses! I found it. The sketch came from Sketch N Stash Challenge Blog. I found it while looking for the hostess of the sketch challenge for the card in my next post. Yes, usually I do save these things, but again, never really believed I would blog it)







Card Details:

Image: Love You to Bits

Sentiment: SU

Cardstock: GP, SU

Ink: Memento
Coloring: N/A

Tools: Reinkers, alcohol

Embellies: Generic baker's twine, unknown brads

Sweet Sixteen

Princess A had a birthday yesterday. 

Birthday cake for breakfast! Carrot cake is healthy, isn't it?

 My baby is SIXTEEN!
 






















Her bedroom is a shrine to Ross Lynch (she says it is for the band 'R5' as a whole, but 99.999999999% of the pics are of Ross), she loves designing and programming the lighting for Drama Club, and she takes just about every possible dance class available at the studio (she even teaches a few classes to the younger set). She is funny, smart, goofy, loving, sarcastic, an absolute slob, original, creative... and I just adore her!

Her birthday card is purple again this year. I say again, even though you have no way of knowing as I did not blog it last year; but I realized because I only just now got around to photographing last years card to post on Facebook.

Tuesday Morning Sketches (#288), as is so often the case, was my inspiration. I still have not figured out whether the dragon is lighting the candles on purpose, or just struggling to blow them out.






Card Details:

Image: Newton's Nook, SU

Sentiment: SU

Cardstock: GP, unknown

Ink: Memento
Coloring: Copics

Tools: Nestabillities, SU punches

Embellies: Unknown brads, generic pop-dots

Fourteen Things?

Last year, in early January, I started a series of 13 Things in 2013. It was a pledge to myself to try 13 new things during the year. You may have then noticed there were very few posts with this label. I  did do 13 new things in 2013, but many of them were very difficult, emotional and private, and not experiences I care to share publicly. Yes, positive, fun and happy things happened too, but my main focus was elsewhere and therefore they never made it to my blog. 

The big question now is, do I start a 14 Things in 2014 series? Last years promise did not seem to work out so well, after all. The title does not flow off the tongue in quite the same way either. Instead I will make it Do More in Two Thousand Four(teen). Crossing my fingers that this will turn out to mean more fun, more adventures, more excitement (in a good way). More cards, and quilts and maybe I will even finish that knitting project started oh so long ago... 

And, hopefully, more blogging

Starts With the Letter "C"

I've been quiet here in blogland for a few weeks. Though I have thought many times about the 52 Photos prompts and even took shots for one of them, I have not had time to put together a post. This week, however, I knew I could not miss. I knew what photo I wanted to take, and have been waiting all morning for the sun to come out to make the photo possible. (Even though it was taken indoors, sunlight was needed for any of the subjects to be seen, as none of them are fans of the flash)

Without further ado, here it is... Cats Consuming Crunchies!

L to R: Osiris, Thor, Miri, Pebblesong and Iisis

Their assigned eating spots are too widely placed to fit in one frame, so everyone was very confused when I put the dishes all in a row. But as you can see they got there eventually.

Bright

As I was driving around this morning delivering papers, I came upon this fella riding his bike. Twice he was coming towards me, but most of the time I was following. Obviously he did not have anywhere to go as he was taking the same route as I: up one street, turn around and come back down, turn at the corner and repeat.

It was an overcast morning, with a thick fog just beginning to lift. My first thought upon seeing him was, "wow that shirt is bright". 

Light bulb!

Bright is the prompt for 52 Photos Project this week.

It took several attempts, but I finally got him in the frame. Do you have any idea how hard it is to photograph a moving bicyclist while driving?? On the wrong side of the road no less. 

Okay, no, not really. 

Well, yes I was on the wrong side of the road, but I did stop to take the photos, which made it all the more difficult as he got further and further away. I finally got this shot, and that was the last I saw of him.